Richt respects Swinney’s decisions on quarterbacks

UGA coach Mark Richt said head coaches must manage difficult decisions to protect long-term interests of the program.

Georgia football coach Mark Richt was in the Upstate to visit fans at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, the second stop along the Bulldog Club Tour with Georgia men’s basketball coach Mark Fox
(Photo:
Kim Klement
,
USA TODAY Sports
)

According to Georgia coach Mark Richt, few truly grasp the responsibility required of his position.

Few realize the breadth and depth with which difficult decisions must be weighed. Few understand the complex duty of managing the consequences of those decisions in public when many of the details provoking them must remain private.

“People are like ‘Why is he doing that’ or ‘What is he thinking?’” Richt said Wednesday evening before visiting fans at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, the second stop along the Bulldog Club Tour with Georgia men’s basketball coach Mark Fox.

“There have been times where I wish I could just explain to everybody what I know, so they’d understand,” Richt said. “Until you sit in the chair you really don’t know what that’s like.”

Recalling the difficult decisions he has managed through 13 seasons at Georgia, Richt truly can empathize with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

Aside from their common task of preparing for Clemson’s visit to Athens on Aug. 30.

Richt understands what Swinney endured Monday, when he announced the dismissal of sophomore quarterback Chad Kelly. Before the spring game on Saturday, Kelly battled for the starting role with senior Cole Stoudt and freshman Deshaun Watson. A series of regrettable offenses, including Kelly’s verbal lash to an assistant coach on the sideline Saturday, provoked Swinney’s decision.

Richt said he does not need to know all the private details to understand Swinney’s motivation -- the fundamental responsibility to protect the long-term interests of the program.

“I don’t know how good Kelly is. I don’t know where he was in their mindset, and I don’t even know what happened,” Richt said, “but somewhere along the line, they were like, ‘We can’t have this and sustain this program the way we want to sustain it.’

“I’ve tried to make decisions based on the long haul. You can make a lot of decisions that may help you in this game or in this recruiting class but won’t really help you down the road. If you’re consistent with those types of things, it helps you have the stability and the longevity.”

Richt said he was aware of the other decision Swinney revealed this week -- naming Stoudt the starter. While his staff has not begun scouting for the opener, Richt said the Bulldogs already are eager for the opportunity to avenge the three-point loss they suffered in Clemson last season.

“It’s exciting to play that type of game in game one,” he said. “It was a tremendous amount of excitement at Clemson a year ago. Their fans did a phenomenal job. Their staff and players did a great job and won the game. So, we need to match that or exceed that type of intensity as a fan base and as a staff and as a team. We’re looking forward to that challenge.”